Feeding mechanism



H.S.EADES FEEDING MEGHANISM Filed May 1, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

mete-fiel wither@ che weer pushing screws? :"sejapers er anyef the other sul `Referl"ing innere parteularly' tek the dravf tube "a, line wim 1 forms a separate Containing chamber f rei the exige ef remmen' @ed @freer "Iongmeial'ly in the tube. The material will flow by gravity into the first chamber or recess l5 and as the tube is rotated the material will fall laterally onto the inclined wall 17 of the chamber or recess on the opposite side of the tube and opposite the lirst chamber, which wall will move the material forwardly so that on the continual rotation of the tube it will move or fall laterally onto the inclined rear wall 17 of the chamber or recess on the opposite side of the axis of rotation and forward of the first chamber. This combined lateral and forward movement of the `A V21material will continue through the several chambers or recesses 15 until it is finally discharged through the outlet port or nozzle 7 into the hopper 8.

In Figure 5 I have shown a conveying tube or barrel 5a employing the same general principlesl as the conveying tubes of Figures l to 4, but of somewhat different construction. The conveying tube 5a of Figure 5 comprises" a. cylindrical barrel-like body portion provided lwith a series of helical flights or screw-blades 2O formed integral therewith. In this constructiony the material to be fed will flow around the interior of the body of the tube as the tube is rotated and due to the helical or spiral arrangements of the flights 2() will be fed forwardly toward the forward end of the barrel or tube from which it will be discharged into the hopper S.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown amodified construction of apparatus especially adapted for feeding granular material into an electric furnace or the like. In this construction the conveying tube 5b is adapted to discharge the material conveyed thereby into a funnel Sa mounted in an opening in the top wall 23 of the furnace.

The tube 5b is formed from a single casting and comprises a tubular inlet opening 24E and a tubular outlet opening 25, said portions being connected by tubular by-pass portions 26 and 27 which are disposed on opposite sides of the parts 24 and 25 and form opposite chambers or recesses into which the material passes during rotation of the tube. The tube is disposed on an angle of approximately 45 degrees so that the material will move forwardly through the tube when it is rotated to cause a lateral shifting of the material.

It will be readily seen that the material will flow by gravity into the recess or bypass portion 26 and that the portion 27 will be filled as the tube is rotated. Also that this portion will be filled before any great amount of the material from the portion 2G moves laterally due to the rotation of the tube. After the portion 27 has become filled or nearly lilled with the material from the bin 2 the material from the portion 26 will u move laterally and the major portion will be compelled to flow out of the discharge or outlet portion 25 and into the hopper 8a. Continued rotation will cause a steady stream to flow from the tube 5b.

In each of the above arrangements of ap- F paratus the material to be conveyed flows through the outlet or discharge orifice of the storage bin by gravity and is collected in a rotary conveyer having a recess or chamber adapted to accumulate a predetermined amount of material and restrict further gravity feed'through the orifice, and upon rotation of the rotary conveyer the material is passed progressively through a series of recesses or chambers so disposed as to cause a lateral and longitudinal movement of the material, thus causing it to travel through the conveyer tube and be discharged, the quantity of which may be varied by varying the speed of rotation of the tube. It will also be readily understood that the flow of material may be stopped by stopping the rotation of the tube, and that no valves are necessary.

It will be noted that each of the combinations of apparatus shown above includes a conveying tube or barrel having recesses or chambers on opposite sides ofthe axis of rotation through which the material being fed is compelled to pass, and that all of the constructions have a tortuous fiow path which intersects the axis of rotation and, therefore, prevents a continuous fiow through the tube unless the tube is rotated to cause the material to move from one chamber or recess to the other with a` combined lateral and longitudinal movement.

lVhile I have shown and described several different forms and embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In apparatus for. feeding material from a source of supply to a point of use, a container adapted to contain a quantity of the material to be fed, said container having a discharge orilice below the level of the material therein for the gravity discharge of the material, a rotary conveyer co-operating with said orifice and adapted to receive the material as it flows through said orifice, said conveyer having recesses longitudinally oiset relative to each other, and means for rotating said conveyer to cause the material to pass progressively from one recess to the next, said conveyer having an outlet opening in axial alinement with said orifice.

2. In apparatus for feeding granular material from a source of supply to a point of use, a container adapted to contain a quantity of the mate-rial to be fed, said container having a discharge orifice below the llO level of the material therein for the gravity veyer to cause the material to pass progresclischarge of the material, a rotary conveyer sively from one recess to the other, and said co-operating With said orifice and adapted conveyer being provided with an outlet 10 to receive the material as it flows through opening in axial alinement With said orifice.

5 said oriiice, said conveyer having recesses In testimony whereof I have hereunto laterally offset on opposite sides' of the axis signed my name. of said orifice, means for rotating said con- HERBERT S. EADES. 

